Susceptibility of different gases to ventilation-perfusion inequality

1979 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 372-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. D. Wagner

Calculations of O2 and CO2 transfer in lung models of both series and parallel ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) inequality have been performed by several investigators. In some cases, O2 uptake was found to be depressed more than CO2 output but in other examples CO2 elimination was interfered with to a greater extent. To understand the fundamental basis of differential susceptibility of various gases to VA/Q inequality, an algebraic analysis of inert gas exchange in two-compartment models of both series and parallel inequality is presented. For both types of inequality, the result is remarkably simple, in that the gas most affected is one whose partition coefficient is the geometric mean of the ventilation-to-perfusion ratios of the two compartments. Transfer of O2 and CO2 in these models was predicted well by the inert gas results not only qualitatively but even quantitatively. Similarly good quantitative predictions were obtained in more complicated multicompartment VA/Q distributions. The results therefore explain and reconcile the findings of various reported studies and in particular account for the observation that CO2 transfer is compromised in many examples of series inequality.

1986 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 1590-1598 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. D. Hammond ◽  
G. E. Gale ◽  
K. S. Kapitan ◽  
A. Ries ◽  
P. D. Wagner

Previous studies have shown both worsening ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) relationships and the development of diffusion limitation during exercise at simulated altitude and suggested that similar changes could occur even at sea level. We used the multiple-inert gas-elimination technique to further study gas exchange during exercise in healthy subjects at sea level. Mixed expired and arterial respiratory and inert gas tensions, cardiac output, heart rate, minute ventilation, respiratory rate, and blood temperature were recorded at rest and during steady-state exercise in the following order: rest, minimal exercise (75 W), heavy exercise (300 W), heavy exercise breathing 100% O2, repeat rest, moderate exercise (225 W), and light exercise (150 W). Alveolar-to-arterial O2 tension difference increased linearly with O2 uptake (VO2) (6.1 Torr X min-1 X 1(-1) VO2). This could be fully explained by measured VA/Q inequality at mean VO2 less than 2.5 l X min-1. At higher VO2, the increase in alveolar-to-arterial O2 tension difference could not be explained by VA/Q inequality alone, suggesting the development of diffusion limitation. VA/Q inequality increased significantly during exercise (mean log SD of perfusion increased from 0.28 +/- 0.13 at rest to 0.58 +/- 0.30 at VO2 = 4.0 l X min-1, P less than 0.01). This increase was not reversed by 100% O2 breathing and appeared to persist at least transiently following exercise. These results confirm and extend the earlier suggestions (8, 21) of increasing VA/Q inequality and O2 diffusion limitation during heavy exercise at sea level in normal subjects and demonstrate that these changes are independent of the order of performance of exercise.


1975 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 369-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Mauderly ◽  
J. E. Tesarek

A nonrebreathing valve for measuring the respiratory volumes and gas exchange of unsedated, trained small mammals is described. The valve was easily fabricated from Plexiglas and latex flaps cut from a surgical glove. It has a low dead space and airflow restance and can be scaled to fit a variety of small mammal species. Ten hamsters were trained to breathe through the valve while expirate was collected. Respiratory frequency, tidal volume, minute volume, O2 uptake, CO2 output, respiratory exchange ratio, and ventilatory equivalent were measured.


1982 ◽  
Vol 52 (6) ◽  
pp. 1506-1513 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Whipp ◽  
S. A. Ward ◽  
N. Lamarra ◽  
J. A. Davis ◽  
K. Wasserman

To determine the precise nonsteady-state characteristics of ventilation (VE), O2 uptake (VO2), and CO2 output (VCO2) during moderate-intensity exercise, six subjects each underwent eight repetitions of 100-W constant-load cycling. The tests were preceded either by rest or unloaded cycling (“0” W). An early component of VE, VO2, and VCO2 responses, which was obscured on any single test by the breath-to-breath fluctuations, became apparent when the several repetitions were averaged. These early responses were abrupt when the work was instituted from rest but were much slower and smaller from the 0-W base line and corresponded to the phase of cardiodynamic gas exchange. Some 20 s after the onset of the work a further monoexponential increase to steady state occurred in all three variables, the time constants of which did not differ between the two types of test. Consequently, the exponential behavior of VE, VO2, and VCO2 in response to moderate exercise is best described by a model that incorporates only the second phase of the response.


2001 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 1414-1421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Hübler ◽  
Jennifer E. Souders ◽  
Erin D. Shade ◽  
Nayak L. Polissar ◽  
Carmel Schimmel ◽  
...  

Background Perfluorocarbon (PFC) liquids are known to improve gas exchange and pulmonary function in various models of acute respiratory failure. Vaporization has been recently reported as a new method of delivering PFC to the lung. Our aim was to study the effect of PFC vapor on the ventilation/perfusion (VA/Q) matching and relative pulmonary blood flow (Qrel) distribution. Methods In nine sheep, lung injury was induced using oleic acid. Four sheep were treated with vaporized perfluorohexane (PFX) for 30 min, whereas the remaining sheep served as control animals. Vaporization was achieved using a modified isoflurane vaporizer. The animals were studied for 90 min after vaporization. VA/Q distributions were estimated using the multiple inert gas elimination technique. Change in Qrel distribution was assessed using fluorescent-labeled microspheres. Results Treatment with PFX vapor improved oxygenation significantly and led to significantly lower shunt values (P < 0.05, repeated-measures analysis of covariance). Analysis of the multiple inert gas elimination technique data showed that animals treated with PFX vapor demonstrated a higher VA/Q heterogeneity than the control animals (P < 0.05, repeated-measures analysis of covariance). Microsphere data showed a redistribution of Qrel attributable to oleic acid injury. Qrel shifted from areas that were initially high-flow to areas that were initially low-flow, with no difference in redistribution between the groups. After established injury, Qrel was redistributed to the nondependent lung areas in control animals, whereas Qrel distribution did not change in treatment animals. Conclusion In oleic acid lung injury, treatment with PFX vapor improves gas exchange by increasing VA/Q heterogeneity in the whole lung without a significant change in gravitational gradient.


1987 ◽  
Vol 62 (5) ◽  
pp. 2003-2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. Lamarra ◽  
B. J. Whipp ◽  
S. A. Ward ◽  
K. Wasserman

Breathing has inherent irregularities that produce breath-to-breath fluctuations (“noise”) in pulmonary gas exchange. These impair the precision of characterizing nonsteady-state gas exchange kinetics during exercise. We quantified the effects of this noise on the confidence of estimating kinetic parameters of the underlying physiological responses and hence of model discrimination. Five subjects each performed eight transitions from 0 to 100 W on a cycle ergometer. Ventilation, CO2 output, and O2 uptake were computed breath by breath. The eight responses were interpolated uniformly, time aligned, and averaged for each subject; and the kinetic parameters of a first-order model (i.e., the time constant and time delay) were then estimated using three methods: linear least squares, nonlinear least squares, and maximum likelihood. The breath-by-breath noise approximated an uncorrelated Gaussian stochastic process, with a standard deviation that was largely independent of metabolic rate. An expression has therefore been derived for the number of square-wave repetitions required for a specified parameter confidence using methods b and c; method a being less appropriate for parameter estimation of noisy gas exchange kinetics.


2018 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 247-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Rocco ◽  
◽  
P. Pelaia ◽  
P. Di Benedetto ◽  
G. Conte ◽  
...  

1971 ◽  
pp. 179-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward T. Flynn ◽  
C.J. Lambertsen
Keyword(s):  

1978 ◽  
Vol 45 (5) ◽  
pp. 666-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bidani ◽  
E. D. Crandall

A quantitative analysis of the reaction and transport processes that occur in blood during and after gas exchange has been used to investigate mechanisms that might account for positive alveolar-mixed venous (A-V) and alveolar-arterial (Aa) PCO2 differences during rebreathing. The analysis was used to determine PCO2 changes that take place in blood as it travels from veins to arteries under conditions in which no CO2 is exchanged in the lung. The predicted A-V and Aa PCO2 differences are all positive and lie within the range of reported measured values. The differences are due to disequilibrium of [H+] between plasma and red blood cells, and to disequilibrium of the reactions CO2 in equilibrium HCO3- + H+ in plasma, as blood leaves the tissue and/or lung capillaries. The differences are increased with exercise and with continued O2 uptake in the lung, the latter due to the Haldane shift. We conclude that the two disequilibria and the Haldane shift contribute to the reported PCO2 differences in rebreathing animals but may not fully account for them. These mechanisms cannot explain any PCO2 differences that might exist during net CO2 elimination from blood in the lung.


1981 ◽  
Vol 51 (5) ◽  
pp. 1261-1267 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Shepard ◽  
V. D. Minh ◽  
G. F. Dolan

Gas exchange was studied under conditions of zero perfusion both in situ and in vitro. Six dogs, anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium, underwent surgical interruption of both pulmonary and bronchial circulations to the left lung. Despite the absence of perfusion, O2 uptake for the left lung ranged from 0.76 to 0.98 ml/min, whereas CO2 elimination greatly exceeded O2 uptake ranging from 1.68 to 4.34 ml/min. In addition, CO2 output was observed to vary directly with the level of minute ventilation (VE) and inversely with end-tidal CO2 concentration. To investigate the mechanisms responsible for these findings we studied 20 excised, ventilated, but nonperfused dog lungs to evaluate the relative roles of tissue metabolism and transpleural diffusion to gas exchange. The results obtained with these excised lungs under conditions of varying VE and extrapleural gas concentrations indicate that the high respiratory exchange ratios observed in situ can be explained by the greater rate with which CO2 diffuses through the pleura, and that reduced ventilation decreases total gas transfer by decreasing the transpleural partial pressure driving gradient. Our data further document that the concentration of CO2 in alveolar gas may differ significantly from that present in inspired gas under conditions of ventilation-perfusion ratio equal to infinity, and that tissue metabolism as well as transpleural diffusion contribute to gas exchange in nonperfused lung.


1994 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 1144-1149 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Weltman ◽  
C. M. Wood ◽  
C. J. Womack ◽  
S. E. Davis ◽  
J. L. Blumer ◽  
...  

Ten collegiate rowers performed discontinuous incremental exercise to their tolerable limit on two occasions: once on a rowing ergometer and once on a treadmill. Ventilation and pulmonary gas exchange were monitored continuously, and blood was sampled from a venous catheter located in the back of the hand or forearm for determination of blood lactate ([La]) and plasma epinephrine ([Epi]) and norepinephrine ([NE]) concentrations. Thresholds for lactate (LT), epinephrine (Epi-T), and norepinephrine (NE-T) were determined for each subject under each condition and defined as breakpoints when plotted as a function of O2 uptake (VO2). For running, LT (3.76 +/- 0.18 l/min) was lower (P < 0.05) than Epi-T (4.35 +/- 0.14 l/min) and NE-T (4.04 +/- 0.19 l/min). For rowing, LT (3.35 +/- 0.16 l/min) was lower (P < 0.05) than Epi-T (3.72 +/- 0.22 l/min) and NE-T (3.70 +/- 0.18 l/min) and was lower (P < 0.05) than LT for running. Within each mode of exercise, Epi-T and NE-T did not differ. Because LT occurred at a significantly lower VO2 than either Epi-T or NE-T, we conclude that catecholamine thresholds, per se, were not the cause of LT. However, for both modes of exercise LT occurred at a plasma [Epi] of approximately 200–250 pg/ml (rowing, 221 +/- 48 pg/ml; running, 245 +/- 45 pg/ml); these concentrations are consistent with the plasma [Epi] reported necessary for eliciting increments in blood [La] during Epi infusion at rest. Plasma [NE] at LT differed significantly between modes (rowing, 820 +/- 127 pg/ml; running, 1,712 +/- 217 pg/ml).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


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